Viken

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Viken or the Wick (English: the bay, or the wick) is a historical district surrounding the Oslofjord in southeastern Norway. The cultural hub is centred in Oslo, but the capital of the region was formerly at Borre. It comprises the historical provinces of Vestfold, Østfold, Ranrike, Vingulmark and Båhuslen. During the European Migration Period, this was a heavily fortified area.

Claims have been made that the word "viking" is derived from this placename, meaning "a person from Viken". According to this theory, originally the word "viking" simply described persons from this area, and that it is only in the last few centuries that it has taken on the broader sense of early medieval Scandinavians in general.